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On Oct. 27, a magnitude-6.1 quake struck Sindirgi in Balikesir and was felt across Manisa, Izmir, Usak, Bursa, Istanbul, Yalova and Canakkale. Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum stated that inspectors identified 127 independent units—80 homes and 45 workplaces—as heavily damaged or collapsed.
Earlier, on Aug. 10, another 6.1 quake caused damage in 729 buildings and 1,036 independent units, mostly in Balikesir and Manisa.
After the Oct. 27 quake, Türkiye’s Compulsory Earthquake Insurance system (DASK) received 197 claims and paid ₺167,000 ($3,900) within three days. Following the Aug. 10 event, 422 claims resulted in payouts totaling ₺25 million. DASK system caps compensation at ₺1.9 billion for a 212-square-meter home and ₺941,800 for a 100-square-meter property.
Balikesir has 377,000 homes, with 247,000 under DASK—roughly 65%. Yet only 103,000 homes are protected by additional home insurance covering earthquake risks.
In Sindirgi, merely 1,246 homes have such coverage.
Across more than 20 million insurable homes in Türkiye, about 11.5 million (57%) have DASK. Only 3.6 million enjoy full coverage through home insurance, leaving around 16.3 million unprotected.
That means nearly four out of five homes remain without full earthquake protection. Businesses face a similar risk: only one in four carries earthquake insurance, leaving 75% vulnerable.
DASK offers limited state-backed coverage for quake damage up to a legal ceiling. Each “independent unit” refers to a separate flat or shop within a building. To obtain full protection, homeowners must purchase an additional private home insurance policy that includes earthquake coverage.
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